16th Mar/Sat: Bandhavgarh 1
After breakfast depart for Bandhavgarh, 280kms, 6-hour drive. Now in a taxi on the way to Tree House Hideaway resort, my last destination. Again the region is very rural and there have been several large herds of cows and water buffalo being driven along the road. Rice is grown here during the monsoon season.
After checking into the lodge. I was shown my interesting tree house accommodation with its own large balcony surrounded by forest. I had an excellent lunch at the lodge and then met my guide for the afternoon jeep safari in the Bandhavgarh National Park. It was very successful safari since we located a large tiger cooling off in a pool. The area consisted of fairly open bamboo forest in which we could track the tiger for some time afterwards. The bamboo grows in clumps about 8m tall. After 25 years it flowers and dies as do all types of bamboo although the period to flowering varies considerably depending on the species. Later we saw some wild boar which are one of the possible prey for the tigers.
Indian roller, vulture, crested serpent eagle.
